The CSCP Welcomes the European Parliament’s Demand to Curb Overconsumption

In an attempt to bring European consumption and production patterns within planetary boundaries, the EU Parliament has recently demanded the first-ever EU targets to reduce overconsumption by 2030. Having worked for 15 years toward sustainable consumption and production (SCP) practices, the CSCP is looking forward to tapping into this new momentum and collaborating for a resilient economy. Be it through boosting the repairability of products, supporting prosumerism or replacing conventional business models with product-as-a-service systems or access-based models, the CSCP is committed to mainstreaming sustainable solutions.

In the key plenary vote held in February 2021, EU lawmakers have called for the introduction of two legally binding targets to significantly reduce the EU’s material and consumption footprints by 2030. The European Commission is expected to consider and reflect the demands on its review of the Circular Economy Action Plan, a pillar of the EU Green Deal.

The Action Plan already entails clear goals on achieving more sustainability and durability of products in textiles, electronics, and packaging. These sectors are the focus of initiatives like the Consumer Insight Action Panel, where the CSCP is leading the effort by generating, applying, and testing consumer behavioural insights in circular strategies. Boosting take-back schemes, enabling the fulfilment of the right to repair and supporting product maintenance are prime examples of CIAP’s work in curbing overconsumption.

With businesses, we are exploring new ways of delivering products-as-a-service systems, access-based models or moving from recycling to a closed material cycle. Our Circular Business Innovation focuses on increasing customer satisfaction while running a resilient business with revenue decoupled from producing more or using more virgin resources. In projects like the Competence Centre eStandards, we are particularly looking to enable sustainable business models and the circular economy through digitalisation. In a newly published report that we co-authored, we offer an in-depth perspective on circular business models through the development of an analytical framework for studying the successful implementation of such models.

Research conducted as part of our ProMoNa project suggests that the distinction between production and consumption does not reflect the manifold forms of value creation anymore. Consumers are ever more engaged each step of the way: production, marketing, waste management, or re- and upcycling. We apply our holistic assessment tool handprint to the sustainability potential of promising prosumer models that support sustainability.

The newly demanded targets by the European Parliament help accelerate the transition to consumption and production patterns that are in line with the vision of the EU Green Deal, adding a key prerequisite to achieve it.

For further information, please contact Rosa Strube.